Buy

Two New York City police officers (one with obligations to the Mafia as a cop on the take) race against the mob to catch three black hoods who, disguised as cops, stole $300,000 from a Mafia-controlled numbers bank in Harlem. The mob want their money back...and they want revenge! From the novel "Across 110th" by Wally Ferris.

Top customer reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Whatever became of director Barry Shear? He was certainly in top form for this film noir-like chronicle of the manhunt following a robbery gone wrong. Both the Mafia and the black Mob are after a knot of freelance African-American criminals after being taken down for a major score. Trying to outrace everyone are an old school, corrupt cop (Anthony Quinn) and his ambitious but straight-edged subordinate (Yaphet Kotto), their methods as different as their goals. (One of the robbers is played by Antonio Fargas, essaying the original spore of Huggy Bear.) Filmed long before the Harlem renaissance, "Across 110th Street" takes place in scene after scene of appalling squalor, save for a brief visit to mafioso Anthony Franciosa's Central Park apartment. This is the only blaxploitation film to have achieved lasting artistic merit -- if that's not a contradiction in terms. Kino Lorber includes both the film and a trailer, but no other extras.

More film noir than blaxploitation, this dark, uncompromising movie spins a grim tumble put fascinating, tale of crime and race from the early 70s. Quinn shines as the corrupt, racist older white detective who realizes his street sense will not be enough against his new partner – or rather, in this investigation, superior.

Across 110th street almost everyone finds themselves struggling against, and losing to, forces bigger than they are: poverty, racism, violence, age, compromise and their own bad decisions. In such an environment, it is no surprise that many of the characters are unsympathetic; but they are human.

A warning: this movie is very violent. The opening sequence involves the robbery that goes very badly and becomes a bloodbath. Characters get brutalized on screen.

Close to 5 stars. But the ending makes no sense (tho it really doesn't change anything).

The story resonates today, with cultures and communities that fear working mundane low paying jobs as a way to move up in the world and get better jobs, so they rob and kill. There is GREAT acting, scenes and characters in this. I highly recommend it.

Great movie acting casting directing and story was perfect very realistic. I was a Law enforcement Official working during those times. I found it very authentic realistic to reel life of that time unfortunately it was a terrible time for the people in New York City. I recommend that people to see this movie see how the city is changed for the better.

Blacksploitation at it's best. Not a great story. Not great acting but a great period action flick. I grew up in Harlem at that time and I can tell you that it was filmed in locations I recognize and it's close to the reality of the ghetto at the time.

Fisrt things first. Some viewers might take this film for so-called blaxploitation film like "Coffy" or "Shaft." Though they have something in common at certain places, "Across the 110th Street" belongs to different genre, namely, a film noir. Or, if you don't get it, imagine "48HRS" without Eddie Murphy's fast talk. You will get a closer picture."Across the 110th Street" begins with a botched robbery in New York City by three men disguised as cops. One false move, and seven dead bodies. The gangsters, to teach some lesson to them, start thier own investigation while a corrupt cop Quinn (whose moral sense is not still dead) reluctantly joins force with no-nonsense, clean-cut Kotto. The film portrays the violent aftermath of the robbery with fast-paced speed, and its tightly-knit plot construction and very authentic locations on Harlem of the 70s -- helped by dim lighting and deserted buildings -- lend the entire film great power to draw the audience to the screen. The story is a little bit trite, I admit, but its grim violence and realistic characters depicted in the film attract your heart, sometimes even in the most morbid scene.But the greatest achievement is two leads: Quinn (who also co-exective produced) often blows up his films with hammy performance, but here he subdues his acting to a convincing degree so that he succeeds in establishing a cop we feel sympathy with, who is clearly heading for the end of his career. Also impressive is Kotto, who tends to be typecast as villain whenever crimes are handled in films. Now his charismatic presence is not wasted, but enhanced effectively along with a veteran cop Quinn. The pair surely is the best part of the film, which relies more on its strength of realistic characterizations than on showy action scenes.And do not forget Bobby Womack's now classic song. It was later used in the opening of "Jackie Brown," by Tarantino (but the version used here is a different, faster take). Its lyrics full of irony are the key to understanding of the film. Across the 110th Street, what will they find?

What can I say! , I really enjoyed the film to the point where I want to buy another copy. The first copy went to my father and I was able to see it at his house. The hundred and 10th Street song was a bit different from the Grapevine.